


In the light of the candles

by Kotoba



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Healing, Hugs, Kissing, Pining, Rough Kissing, Trust, Western Air Temple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:49:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25802398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kotoba/pseuds/Kotoba
Summary: Katara has to heal Zuko but only finds time to do so in the middle of the night.Takes place in the Western Air Temple.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 131





	In the light of the candles

**Author's Note:**

> After I successfully read through almost every Zutara fanfiction on here, I'm going to give it a shot myself by posting a little one shot.
> 
> Hope you enjoy and thank you for reading!

"Zuko? Are you still awake?" Whispered Katara into the darkness of his room.

She stayed for a while and listened to the silence in his room. Katara was just about to close the door behind her, coming to the conclusion that he was already asleep, as she heard a shuffling in the dark and a muffled groan. 

"What do you want?" His voice was not only scratchy and deep but sounded almost annoyed. Seems like she had just woken him up.

"Aang asked me to heal your injuries that you apparently got, while hunting with Sokka," replied she bitter and with a simple shrug of her shoulders just to come to the realization that he couldn't see her. Zuko had gotten one of the rooms in the dark corners of the Western Air Temple, which were a bit far away from her room and the others but the light of the moon didn't reach until here.

"Did you do it on purpose?" Asked he suddenly.

"What?"

"Coming in here in the middle of the night to wake me up."

Katara felt the anger boil in her blood. 

"No?! Why would I waste my time to do that, while having a million other things to do that are more important?! It's fine, if you don't want me to heal you because I don't want to do it myself, but Aang and Sokka asked me to do so! But to be honest, I don't care!" Huffed she angry and balled her trembling hands into fists.

Silence. 

Katara heard how something shuffled once again and watched how Zuko lit up one single candle in his room. 

Besides his sleeping bag with the pillow and blanket was his own bag. The rest was the old furniture that belonged once to the monks. 

The candle that Zuko had lit up was on a small shelf and Katara noticed that he wasn't wearing his shirt. 

Instead he had pressed his shirt against the side of his chest and his board shoulders were a bit hunched over. 

Zuko than turned towards her and looked at her but Katara just looked at the injury on his side that was covered by his hands and shirt.

Instinctively Katara closed the door behind her and walked towards Zuko. She took the shirt from his hand and saw a small scratch that went across two of his ribs. That wouldn't seem to be that painful, if his whole pale skin wouldn't be a dark purple, mixed with blue and green colors. Katara raised her hand and touched his side just to apply little and feel, if his ribs were broken but as soon as Zuko took a deep breath through clenched teeth, she flinched and took her hand back, as if she had burned herself on him. She noticed how this part of his skin felt unusually warm, as if he was having a high fever.

"This looks awful," gasped Katara and forgot for a short moment that she actually hated Zuko.

Her motherly instincts took over and she pushed him gently down onto his sleeping place. 

The light of the single candle just lit up a little of his room but it was enough for her to see the dark colors.

Zuko said nothing and just turned his face away. 

Katara just healed him in silence, while sitting next to him. The light of the water illuminating the two of them in an unusual light. 

"It's done," whispered Katara after a while.

"I'm sorry that I lashed out on you like that," sighed Zuko suddenly and looked down to the ground. "I was just having a hard time falling asleep and didn't really believe that you'd come here to heal me."

Katara looked up to him and was ready to reply something harsh but as soon as she saw the dark eyebag under his healthy eye, she realized, why he had been so annoyed at the beginning.

She just bend the water back into her flask and stood up but her vision became suddenly blurry and her legs were not only numb but also shaking. 

Katara hadn't realized how long she had actually taken to heal his broken ribs and how much energy she had actually used. 

She tried to play it off because she felt his burning gaze on her back, but as soon as she made another step, she lost her footing and twisted her ankle a little, which caused her to fall behind. 

Katara closed her eyes and was ready for the hurting impact on the cold ground but her landing was a lot softer than she would have thought and for a second she thought that it was because she had landed on Zuko's pillow, but as soon as she tried to sit up by placing her hands on the ground beneath her, as she would have thought, she just felt something warm move beneath her hands and in the darkness she could barely make out the silhouette of Zuko's right leg that rised up and pushed her into his left leg. Katara was trapped between his legs and felt his upper body behind her back, as he sat with a low groan up. 

She couldn't move due to her legs that had fallen asleep. 

Then she felt something else on her stomach and she looked down to see Zuko's right arm across her stomach and holding onto her left side, while unknowingly pushing her against him.

This comfortable feeling scared her a lot more than it should've.

"Are you alright?" Groaned Zuko into her ear and looked down at her. 

Suddenly Katara realized how they must look right now. Her pressed into his naked upper body and trapped between his legs, while he pressed her to him. 

They were close.

Too close.

Katara felt how her cheeks became hot and hoped that Zuko wasn't able to see her red face in the small light of the candle. 

Suddenly his grip around her became tighter and he bowed his head down to her to have a better look at her.

"Katara?"

His rough voice sounded almost panicked and worried and Katara realized that she still hasn't answered him. 

"I'm fine!" Shouted she almost and put her hands accidentally on the arm of Zuko, while trying to sit up, but her legs suddenly tingled a lot and she tried to not move them too much. 

"My legs just fell asleep," mubled she almost sheepishly.

"Oh," was the simple reply from Zuko but he didn't move away.

The awkward silence between them was almost as thick as the tension. 

"Thank you for the healing," thanked Zuko Katara suddenly.

"No problem," replied she sheepishly and tried to not think a lot about their unfamiliar body contact. 

Although Zuko could have moved he didn't, because he didn't want her to move her legs a lot and Katara didn't ask him to move. 

A chilling breeze appeared beneath the door and ghosted over the two of them. 

Katara shivered and tried to pull her legs towards herself but let them fall once again, after making a disgruntled sound. 

"Do you want me to massage your legs?" Asked Zuko suddenly and looked down at her. His warm breath ghosted over the crook of her neck. 

"What?" Whispered Katara and turned her head towards him. His breath ghosted now over her plump lips and she shuddered at the sensation against him. 

And the fact that his body was comfortably warm didn't help a lot. 

"I could heat my hands a little and try to massage your legs, if you want," suggested he almost shy. "But only, if you want me to of course. 

And that was, when Katara realized that her hands still rested on his arm beneath her chest.

The thought of him letting go of her like that awakened in her an unwilling resignation. 

Katara tried to look up at him but couldn't and felt his burning gaze on her.

Instead she looked at his chin, which didn't help a lot, because she noticed just now how full his lower lip actually was and how sharp his jaw was. 

Katara just tightened her grip around his arm without noticing and said with a shaky tone in her voice: "Could you maybe just hold me?"

It was comforting to be held like that and Katara didn't know why. She usually hugged her friends but it never was as intimate like that or maybe because they were a lot smaller than her. 

Zuko on the other hand was taller more broader and gave her the feeling of security. That she didn't know she had needed so desperately until now.

She didn't want him to let go.

Zuko, who would have never thought up until now that Katara would ever ask him something like that, just nodded. He was not only surprised about her request but was also glad that she felt as comfortable as he did.

He raised his left hand, which had been resting on the ground the whole time and wrapped it under his right arm, holding Katara closer. He felt her smaller hands resting on his right forearm and held his breath as soon as Katara leaned against him with her back. To hold her comfortably he lowered his chin and looked down at her. 

Katara looked up at him and her bright blue eyes reflected the light of the candle. 

"I should probably get going," mumbled she suddenly and tried to stand up, but Zuko held her still. "Just a few more minutes," begged he suddenly. 

"Do you...," Katara hesitated. "Do you want me to hold you too?"

Suddenly Zuko let go of her and scooted back to have a better look at her. 

He was surprised and Katara would be a fool to not see that. 

"You would?"

His voice sounded so low and helpless that it tightened her heart. 

Katara nodded with her head and sat up.

She didn't know what came over her but she didn't want ro leave him yet. Not only was he so lonely, but he was also friendly and had held her until her legs weren't asleep anymore. 

And something told her that there was another reason, why he wasn't able to sleep, besides his now healed injury. 

Katara laid down on his sleeping bag, which smelled just like him and patted on the empty space besides her.

Hesitantly, Zuko laid next to her but she put her hands on his bare shoulders and pushed him a bit lower until faced her chest. 

Katara let go off him and wrapped her arms around his head, while pushing his head towards her until the left side of his face leaned against her chest.

Zuko just wrapped his arms around her hips and pushed her body closer to his and so they laid there in silence. 

Katara stroked his dark locks gentle, while drawing small circles on his shoulder. 

Zuko on the other hand just laid still and breathed her scent in, while closing his eyes. 

Katara looked down at him. 

He seemed to be at so much peace that his face softened and his body relaxed. 

Something in Katara longed to hold him like that forever and to make sure that he would always feel this sort of peace.

Than she lowered her chin and planted a small kiss on his head. 

Zuko opened suddenly his eyes and his grip around her tightened, as he sat up and looked at her with wide eyes.

Katara just looked up at him und put her hand on her mouth, realizing, what she had just done. Her eyes were wider than his and she tried to say something, but she just managed to stutter something that wasn't understandable. 

"I'm sorry!" Was all she could say and she tried to stand up and run away, but Zuko pinned her down, by putting his hands next to her head and pushing his leg between hers so that she couldn't escape. 

"What-what did you just do?" Whispered Zuko and looked confused at her. 

"I just gave you a small kiss on your head!" Replied Katara with a red face and tried to sit up, but he leaned in closer so that she couldn't sit up. 

And closer.

And closer.

Until Katara felt gentle and warm lips on her right cheek. His lips were so soft and careful that she held breath and instinctively raised her hands to hold him by his shoulders.

And as soon as Zuko pulled back he tried to sit up and let go of her, but Katara just cupped his face in her hands and pulled him closer to her until their lips met.

His lips were soft and warm against hers and she tried to suck as much warmth in as possible. Unlike her Zuko was gentle and almost too careful to not hurt her, but Katara on the other hand wanted more. Longed for more. 

Zuko just pushed her back into his sleeping place, while putting his hand on her lower back and resting his other hand right next to her to support his weight and to not fall completely down on her.

Her lips became rougher against his and to keep up he just became as rough as her, if not rougher and did not let go of her. 

He placed now his other hand on the crook of her neck, which waa covered by her thick locks and pulled her closer to him. 

Katara lowered her hand down onto his bare and muscular chest, while her other hand was buried in his dark locks. 

Zuko pulled back and Katara just panted helpless, while looking into his eyes and searching for something in his golden eyes that also tried to read her blue eyes. 

Panting against his mouth she tried to say something but she couldn't. Instead she was only able to feel his short and warm breath on her lips. 

She licked her lips and Zuko followed her motion with his eyes, before lowering his head and kissing her once again but this time more passionate. Katara melted into his mouth and as if he would have sensed it, he licked her plump lips this time, just for them to open immediately and his tongue gliding into her mouth. 

They kissed until their lips became swollen and they weren't able to breathe anymore.

The candle almost burned out but they didn't notice.

*

-The next day-

"Why are your lips so red?" Asked Sokka suddenly confused and looked at Katara with a searching and suspecting look on his face, while scratching his chin. 

Zuko froze behind Sokka.

"Did you get a new lipstick?" Asked he suddenly and looked at her. 

"Uhhh," made Katara only and saw how Toph suddenly approached them with a wide grin.

"Maybe you should ask Zuko!" Suggested suddenly Toph with a sadistic smile on her face. Nobody could even question how Toph knew that because all were busy looking at Zuko.

Suddenly Sokka turned around with a sharp 180 and looked at the poor firebender, whose red and swollen lips stood far more out than those of Katara due to his pale skin. 

Sokka narrowed his eyes and looked at Zuko, while marching towards him but as soon as he reached Zuko the boy suddenly had a normal expression on his face.

"Why are your lips as red as Kataras'?" Asked Sokka slowly and watched Zuko. 

"We found some foreign berries and tried them out but it turns out that were allergic to them, which is why our lips started to itch. They also coloured our lips," lied Zuko without missing a beat.

"R-right!" Agreed Katara with a wide smile. 

"Then why didn't you say that from the beginning?" Asked Sokka and looked at his little sister. 

"I didn't want you to be mad at us for eating something without you," replied she with a shrug. 

Toph just grinned from ear to ear, knowing damn well that they were lying and that she could question them later.


End file.
